The year 2022 has certainly been interesting for the world of UFC. We have witnessed intense fights as well as some upsets. Nevertheless, as is usually the case every year, 2022 has seen the rise of some fighters poised to experience a major break-out in 2023.
The new year is already around the corner, and it is as good a time as any to review some of the UFC fighters who are in pole position to become superstars. It is worth mentioning that the fighters in this list aren’t ranked in any particular order. Let’s dive right in:
The UFC welterweight contender has made a name for himself this year and appears to be set to rise through the ranks. Impressively, Maddalena made his debut at the beginning of 2022 when he defeated Pete Rodriguez with a TKO. In a similar fashion, Maddalena took on veterans Ramazan Emeev and Danny Roberts, managing to come out on top both times.
All is not perfect with Jack Della Maddalena, however. In particular, there are significant improvements to be made with respect to his ground game. Similarly, his cardio is still short of ideal. Regardless, there is simply no denying Maddalena’s brilliance in the octagon, especially when it comes to his ferocity and striking skills.
The fighter seems set to feature at UFC 284 in 2023, providing an opportunity to establish himself as a superstar. If Maddalena succeeds, he would be joining the ranks of Australia and New Zealand-born UFC stars which include the likes of Israel Adesanya, Robert Whittaker, and Dan Hooker. No doubt, it would be interesting to watch Maddalena in the coming year.
With one of the most exciting fighting styles currently, Adrian Yanez seems certainly headed to superstardom. Having debuted in October 2020, Yanez managed five wins in the octagon. What’s more impressive is that four of these five victories have come in the form of a KO/TKO, earning Yanez a $50k performance bonus each time.
His fighting style is recognizably risky as he seems to put his all into trading blows with his opponents with little consideration for holding back. However, this approach also makes him one of the most thrilling and entertaining fighters, and so far, it seems to be working pretty well.
Notably, while Adrian Yanez is a solid prospect, it might be necessary to lower expectations for now as he is yet to face off against a truly elite-level opponent. Of his five wins, Yanez only faced a veteran in one. Similarly, he hasn’t faced anyone ranked in the top fifteen. In essence, Yanez is yet to be truly tested. Hopefully, in the coming year, we will see Yanez paired against an elite opponent. Winning such a match would undoubtedly make him a title contender.
Casey O’Neill
Casey O’Neill is by no means a new name. The flyweight contender is undefeated and has a 9-0 record. O’Neill ended that year on a high, convincingly beating Antonina Shevchenko. O’Neill’s momentum extended into 2022, with the fighter clinching a victory in February against former title challenger Roxanne Modafferi.
Unfortunately, O’Neill suffered a tear to her ACL shortly after, which invariably prevented her from participating in a planned fight with Jessica Eye. The Scottish-born fighter has been out of the octagon ever since.
However, it might be reasonable to expect a return in the early part of 2023. The fighter’s rehab is reportedly going well, and she might be on track to getting back into the octagon as early as in March. If O’Neill is able to regain her pre-injury form, she will, no doubt, walk right back into title contention. There aren’t many true flyweight title contenders. As such, O’Neill is well poised to challenge for the throne in 2023.
Ankalaev might have lost the chance to become the light heavyweight title holder with a bizarre draw against Blachowicz. However, for the Russian, this might be more a case of delay than denial.
Ankalaev is certainly one of the most compelling fighters in the UFC currently. He has a powerful wrestling style, often being able to dish out hard strikes that are difficult for most opponents to handle. In addition, the Russian fighter doesn’t have any real vulnerabilities that opponents can exploit.
Although the fighter has been criticized at times for having a dull fighting style, this has never stopped him from getting the job done, even against elite fighters. Thus, while Ankalaev might have been unable to secure the title this time around, he is undoubtedly on track for an explosive year. For people into online sports betting, Ankalaev is sure to be a favorite in the coming year.
Final Thoughts
The UFC seems to usher in a new set of remarkable fighters every year. As we have shown in this article, the year 2022 has been no different. It would be interesting to watch what these fighters are able to achieve in the coming year.